


Sunshine through my window

by sunnysideup



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, lots of fluff, tiniest hint of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 04:31:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18491407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnysideup/pseuds/sunnysideup
Summary: Inspired by a post I saw on Tumblr about a post on twitter with a fic idea about Liam being a happy puppy in the sun and Zayn hears him through his window, sees him for the first time and poof, he's in love.This is what this is.  Sort of.





	Sunshine through my window

**Author's Note:**

> Title of fic inspired by Sunshine by Gabrielle. 
> 
> This is unbeta-ed so please excuse any mistakes. Ta.

Sometimes Zayn gets so wrapped up in his writing that his friends have joked that it’d take a meteorite to distract him.

His mum used to say it about his Playstation when he was a kid.  

Truth is there’s little else in his life to get wrapped up in.  He may as well be married to this job, this life.  

It’s all he does, all he sees, all he thinks about from morning to night. 

Anything to escape what his mind could stray to if he’s not careful.  The aching loneliness. 

There’s a little part of him which wonders how much of the world he misses out on.   A bigger part of him that’s almost scared to find out.

Few things break his concentration, break his laser focus on his writing.  Maybe the need for a bit of food, or a coffee or the fact that his phone seems to vibrate that bit stronger when his mum checks he’s still alive after hearing nothing for a few weeks. 

He’s always had a thing for music though.  For melodic sounds.  

To look at him, you’d possibly think he’s more into rap and swearing and okay, yeah a little bit but he also loves the softness, songs that make him think of summer even when it’s the coldest winter day.

Make him feel a little warmer and less alone, make him think that anything’s possible even though experience tells him, it’s not. 

He’s mid-chapter, a chapter he’s been writing, no scratch that, _trying_ to write for over a week and he’s determined there’ll be no distractions.

It’s an uncommonly warm Spring day and so for once, he’s opened his window.  it makes him susceptible, that's what it is.  

He’s sure he read it in one of his mum’s daft romance novels, how sometimes laughter can be the most beautiful, light and melodic sound.

Zayn thought that was reserved for the 19th century, for ladies who wore bodices and crinolines and who carried parasols.

He doesn’t expect the sound to travel through his window, break through his laser focus and have him whirling around in his chair, peering towards the window.

The sound fades and maybe he imagined it, maybe he’s had too much Kenco 2-in-1 for today so he shrugs and turns back to face his computer.

Till it happens again, and this time there’s no denying it or apparently stopping it as it starts off quietly. though clearly not that quietly. and then he’s giggling, the bloke is.

An actual giggle, that’s almost like a trill sound except it’s prettier than that, Zayn wouldn’t be surprised if the bloke burst into song at any moment.

He gets up just in case.  

He stands to the left of the window and like he’s some kind of undercover operative, he sneaks a glance outside.  

The sound hasn’t stopped yet, it’s slightly quieter but the bloke’s certainly amused by something. 

Undercover operative Zayn is a short-lived thing cause he can’t see a thing so he takes a step to his right and because he’s always had a fear of windows and toppling out of open ones, he rests his right hand on the window as he looks out.

He doesn’t see anyone initially till he sees a pair of feet and a football, the feet are tiny though and the little pudgy hands he sees are too small to match to the laughter.

A small foot kicks at the ball and then shifts and turns around helpfully so Zayn can see better.

It’s a kid, about four or five years old if Zayn had to guess, he’s not dressed in a football kit though, he’s dressed up in what looks like a Batman outfit and he’s got this wide grin on his face, that looks like he’s about to start giggling any moment now.

It happens at the same moment, a man suddenly appears and scoops the boy up, holds him upside for a moment and then pulls him upright again and tickles.

It’s a lovely sound, which is made even better when the man playfully and ever so melodramatically falls to the floor, the child wrapped up in his arms and their laughter, no their giggles do something to Zayn. 

Then the child rolls away and Zayn sees for the first time.

A fella about his age, wearing a hoodie and a pair of jeans who the April sunshine is doing all kinds of favours for right now and shining on him.

Making him look like he’s got some kind of halo, all the while like the giggles that are fading a little bit now Zayn realises, make him seem like he’s heaven sent almost.

Brown hair with flecks of light that just serve to make him look warmer, the warmest sight Zayn’s seen and even from this distance, the brightest smile.

The feeling in his stomach suddenly is absolutely the result of too much caffeine and not enough food.

The butterflies that are fluttering around his stomach properly crept from where they no doubt flew and fluttered happily around the bloke while Bambi and Thumper and all the Disney animals probably lament how they’re redundant around him. 

The chubby arm that falls on the guy’s lap then and the legs that follow and crawl up his body and the giggles as the kid snuggles into the bloke’s body pull Zayn out of his spell.

Trust his luck to fall in love with some straight bloke who’s gone for his first kid, or maybe his second or who the bloody hell even cares.

Love, Zayn?  Really? 

“Hello?”

Oh no.  Just when Zayn didn’t think it could get any worse, he drops to his knees, counts to 100 or so he thinks and then just when he thinks he’s safe, undercover spy Zayn is back and ever so slightly peers over the window sill.

“Why he’s hiding Li-Li?”

“I dunno Theo, probably just a game or maybe he dropped summat.”

There’s no dignified way to get out of this and he's never going to be Zayn Bond is he so Zayn springs up, brandishing a pen and waving it around with pretend relief.

“Oh hiya, didn’t see you there.”

They’re right under his window, by the apple tree and so Zayn can see just how unconvinced ‘Li-Li’ is, also the smirk that backs it up. 

“LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE.”  Batman sings. 

And Zayn can’t even find it in himself to do anything other than grin at the kid and roll his eyes inwardly at himself and how gone he is when there’s a tiny light laugh from ‘Li-Li’

It’s only when he’s opened the door to his flat, and he’s down the stairs and out the door that he realises no one had even suggested he do that. 

**

it’s even worse up close and in front of him.  

Liam’s eyes are chocolate brown, with little scoops of caramel and he’s got this smile when he gazes at Theo that makes his eyes crinkle, almost disappear from view.  

He’s devoted to the kid, and Zayn’s heart may be (definitely is) breaking into tiny little pieces right now but he’s too endeared to walk away.

Theo’s sat on the grass now, staring at a dandelion with fascination while ‘Li-Li’ leans against the apple tree and Zayn tries to think of a million things to say but it all escapes him.

“Sorry, if we disturbed you, he’s a right little terror this one but it’s so rare I get to see him these days, work’s chock-a-block and I’m the world’s worst uncle there is but when I’m here, we make the most of it, eh Theo?”

Theo looks up and fixes Liam with a glare fit to wither any plant or person for that matter.

“Sorry, I mean Batman.”

Zayn just about followed what Liam said after ‘Uncle’ but it wasn’t easy. Just like that the butterflies are back from fluttering around Liam to Zayn’s stomach.

“You’re his Uncle?”

Liam grins.

“Yeah, my sister just rented out the flat which must be below yours a few weeks back while they’re renovating the place they’ve just bought and her husband’s away with work too so I said I’d come and help out for a week as work owed me loads of leave.”

He blushes then and holds up his hand in apology.

“Sorry, I have this habit of over-explaining myself and doing it before I introduce myself, even so, hello, I’m Liam, don’t mind Li-Li from Mr. T over there but to you and any other adult, I’m Liam.”

Liam.  For a moment Zayn thinks he’s in danger of turning that name into a version of that song Maria from West Side Story.

Somehow he saves himself, instead, he just turns the name around in his head, on his tongue.

Lee-Yum.

He’s a bloody cliche. 

“I’m Zayn.”

He holds his hand out then like he’s meeting his bank manager, not some fit bloke who’s not a dad at least, or at least not to Theo and who he’s already mentally planning a life together with.

Or at least the first date. 

That smirk again from Liam, except not a smirk, it’s too warm, too kind to be called a smirk.

The hand that shakes his own is soft but the grip firm, full of confidence and the eyes that meet Zayn’s.

Make that planning when he’ll propose and how does he stop it being in the next five minutes.

“Wait, you’re Zayn?”

Liam looks aghast and blushes.  

“Disney Prince Zayn, god yeah, I’m so bloody stupid, and oh god, the landlord told Ruth that you work from home and you like peace and quiet and here we are annoying you and you’re so polite and- ah I’m such an idiot.”

Zayn thinks he takes a step back unconsciously cause Disney Prince?  Zayn?  Has Liam even looked in the mirror?

Liam snorts out a laugh and Zayn looks to Theo who’s chattering to his dandelion but Liam’s not looking there, he’s beaming at Zayn and he really needs to stop doing that beaming thing before it does something irreparable to Zayn’s heart.

“You’re far too kind, but yeah you, the Disney prince and let’s just say Roo’s not wrong.”

That eye contact again.  And the realisation for Zayn that he said what he said aloud like a big stupid dope. 

Somehow he doesn’t feel stupid though so for once he relaxes into it and says simply. 

“Thanks, mate,” then trying it for size, he adds, “Lee-yum.”

The sound from Liam’s mouth is almost choked out, and Zayn’s worried for a second but Liam’s smiling once more and his heart’s utterly screwed now.

“The way you say it, it’s I dunno, it’s different,” then as if he’s worried Zayn’ll be concerned he says, “Good different that is.”

It’s Zayn turn to beam.  

Liam glances at his watch, and then with a glance at Theo and a nervous bite of his lip, he nods to himself as though he’s made a decision.

“I think the least we can do to make up for disturbing your work is to invite you for coffee and a slice of Ruth’s amazing lemon drizzle cake, but only if you want to.”

Zayn feels this urge to shush Liam, to tell him that okay, yeah they disturbed him but he’s been so stuck within himself for too long.

Too unaware of all that surrounds him, all that’s just out there beyond the window and the room he cocoons himself in when he’s in the middle of writing something.

Even when that something had lost all purpose weeks ago. 

He feels the urge to thank him, to bloody hug him and kiss him and okay that’s the third date sorted. Yes, he’s old-fashioned.  

And he wonders, sort of hopes, if he said all that aloud but no, instead, Liam’s looking nervous and even Theo is peering up at him quizzically. 

“I bloody love lemon drizzle cake,” he blurts out before he realises Theo is far too young to hear words like that even though Liam just said it moments ago himself.

The giggle from Theo as he points at Zayn and says, “He said a boo-word,” is matched but then enhanced by a million in terms of the way it makes the butterflies Liam’s loaned to Zayn’s stomach dance around and the way it makes his heart swell as Liam giggles and his eyes crinkle.

“Don’t do that,” Zayn almost begs.

“What?”  Liam asks, the concern back on his face and how does he switch from sunshine to that in a moment?

“Never mind,” Zayn says quietly but loud enough that Liam looks satisfied.

“So, shall we?” 

“Yeah, let’s.” 

“Uncle Li-Li’s got a boyfriend, Uncle Li-Li’s got a boyfriend,” Theo choruses all the way back to Ruth’s flat. 

Zayn’s aware of the way Liam’s blushing, the sidelong glances just to check that Zayn’s not run away.

Then as they get to the door and Liam opens it so Theo runs in, still singing his song, Liam turns around.

“It’s okay, you can go.  Thanks for humouring me.”

The sudden insecurity and the fact that Liam’s actions and demeanour show that it’s what he expects, for Zayn to walk away, that’s what almost breaks Zayn into tiny pieces and suddenly, all he wants back are giggles and the smiles and all that.

Which he already knew and so it’s so natural what Zayn says next.

“What I said out there about ‘Don’t do that’,forget that because i mean it _now_ but only in a kind way, in an 'I know all too well what it’s like kind of way' and I’ve been there and dragged myself out and I can help so ignore what I said before, don’t do this cause I promise you I’m not humouring you, okay?”

That eye contact again, except this time with a trace of the vulnerability Liam just showed.

It makes Liam more real, it makes _this_ more real and Zayn’s already married and on their third kid by now in his head. 

“I believe you,” Liam says with a grin. 

And this time, this time it’s different because this time Zayn doesn't feel this flight urge to run back to the safety of his flat, his computer and his own company and maybe this time, he himself believes it too.


End file.
